
When the smoke cleared, 18 Americans – 10 civilians and eight U.S. soldiers from the 13th Cavalry – and 80-100 of Villa’s men, lay dead.
Every year for the past 17 years, riders on horseback from both sides of the border join together in peace and unity to commemorate the casualties of Villa’s March 9th, 1916, pre-dawn raid on Columbus.
This year’s Binacional Cabalgata and Centennial Raid Day will be held beginning at 10 a.m. Saturday, March 12th, in downtown Columbus plaza.
The Village of Columbus, Columbus Chamber of Commerce, Pancho Villa State Park, Columbus Historical Society, and First Aero Squadron Foundation are joining forces for the centennial commemoration.
The Cabalgata will leave February 27th from Ciudad Guerrero, Mexico, more than 300 miles south of the border, and is expected to arrive in Palomas, Mexico, on Friday, March 11th. The riders will follow the same route General John “Black Jack” Pershing and some 10,000 U.S. soldiers took in chasing Villa into Mexico.
Then at 10 a.m. Saturday morning, the riders will cross the U.S./Mexico border at Palomas.
Riders on the U.S. side of the border will join them as they all parade into Columbus around 11 a.m.
For more information on the commemoration, call 575-343-0147 or email: columbuschamberofcommerce@yahoo.com.